The Takata Airbag Recall Just Became Far More Confusing: Here's What You Need To Know

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Yesterday morning, we were optimistic. Rumors suggested that the confusing web of Takata airbag recalls would soon become simpler and more streamlined. If things went as planned:

1. Takata would agree to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's demands and declare many of its driver-side airbags defective, regardless of whether they've been exposed to humidity; and,

2. NHTSA would overturn its own highly criticized decision to permit regional replacement of Takata airbags, paving the way for a nationwide recall.

Sadly, neither of those things happened. In fact, the situation got worse, becoming exponentially more complicated for Takata, automakers, federal regulators, and owners of affected vehicles.

Worst of all, those complications will likely lead to recall delays, which could have deadly consequences for drivers.

2. The auto industry insisted that more study was needed to determine whether nationwide recalls should be implemented. Takata isn't the only one arguing against a nationwide airbag recall. Automakers are reluctant to launch such a process, too, afraid of the time and energy those recalls would take to carry out -- not to mention the brand damage they could cause and the liability to which automakers might be exposed.

And so, Toyota issued a press release calling for what amounts to a focus group on Takata airbags:

"Toyota today called for a coordinated industry-wide joint initiative to independently test Takata airbag inflators that have been the subject of recent recalls. The goal of this initiative is to address affected automakers’ issues related to the airbag inflator recalls and supplement testing being undertaken by Takata in order to address customer concerns about safety."

Anyone want to guess how quickly Toyota will be able to get other automakers onboard, begin tests, analyze results, publish them, and, if necessary, begin recalls? Here's an answer: not quickly enough.

3. NHTSA refused to demand a nationwide recall of Takata's passenger-side airbags. The agency insists that it wants a nationwide recall of driver-side airbags -- a recall complicated by the fact that (a) Takata hasn't declared its driver-side airbags inherently flawed (see item #1 above), and (b) automakers haven't agreed to undertake such a wide-ranging recall (see item #2). However, NHTSA hasn't even floated the idea of a coast-to-coast recall of passenger-side airbags.

NHTSA hasn't fully explained its reluctance on that point. Our guess is that the agency is attempting to be logical: cars can't operate without drivers, so it would seem reasonable that replacing driver-side safety devices should take priority over replacing passenger-side airbags.